The Curious Neko, A Maxium Ride Fanfic
by tyw7
Summary: Maximum Ride meets a strange cat-girl named naniko
1. Birds and Demons

Today was Saturday. The sun was shining in to my eyes. I dug deeper into the blankets but it was no use, I was fully awake. I groaned and threw off the blanket off me. I dragged myself like a zombie to the bathroom and opened the cabinet, taking out the toothpaste and toothbrush. I squirted the toothpaste onto the toothbrush and proceeded to brush my teeth. After that, I headed downstairs and went to the kitchen. I opened the fridge, which was pretty much empty except for a few heads of wilted lettuce. I grabbed a milk carton from the fridge. Then I went to the dish storage rack and took a bowl. I opened the cover and emptied the milk but nothing came out. I gently tapped the bottom of the milk carton and chunks of curdled milk poured out. It smelt rancid and absolutely disguising. I flipped the milk carton over but it was still within expiration date. Somebody must have left the milk out for a little too long. I held the carton at arm's length and quickly tossed it into the trashcan as if it was radioactive material.

I looked around for any edible food but there was nothing that can be eaten without being cooked and I'm not in the mood of cooking… not that I can't cook. Sighing, I put on my jumper and headed out to grab something to eat. I took a quick glance around, and once I'm sure the coast was cleared, I snapped out my 14-feet wing and leaped into the air. I inhaled crisp cool air and flapped my wings furiously. I quickly gained altitude and was soon above the clouds where nobody below can see me.

Flying feels great… it makes me feel free and one with the environment. Oh my, I sound like one of those greeting cards.

The sun reflecting off the clouds blinded me temporarily and caused me to crash into a flock of birds. Once I cleared the flock, I resembles like a big chicken. "Oh that's what feather tastes like," I murmured. "Blurg!" I quickly spat out the feathers.

It was disgusting and I can't get the horrible taste out of my mouth. It tasted like mud, dust, and well, feathers. Don't chide me dear readers. Just because I have wings doesn't mean I have tasted it. Plus, I'm sure you wouldn't pluck out your own wing feathers just to have a nibble. Believe me that hurt!

As I passed over a forest, I caught snatches of somebody singing:

"… But I'm lost  
I'm so damn lost

Oh I wish it was over,  
And I wish you were here  
Still I'm hoping that somehow."

I swooped down into the forest to investigate. Just inches from the ground, I closed shut my wings and landed in a crouching position.

I notice something moving in the forest. "Who's there," I called out but there was no reply.

Just then, I saw something big and black descending. I picked up a large rock and hid behind some trees thinking it was an eraser.

"You wouldn't toss the huge rock will you Max," the mysterious figure said. It was Fang. I recognized his voice anywhere. I dropped the rock and walked towards him. He grabbed my waist and gave me a big smooch. I returned the kiss before pushing him away.

"Hush, be quiet," I told Fang. "I heard somebody singing nearby."

I accidentally stepped on a twig and a strange purple hair girl kicked me in the stomach. How rude!

She looked at me, her chartreuse-colored eyes full of anger and rage. Whoa! What did I do to offend her?

"What was that for?" I cried, practically hissing at her. In one fluid motion, I grabbed her hand and twisted it behind her back. She winced in pain. The girl spat at Fang's feet and glared at him. She seemed to have known him from somewhere.

"Whoa, going on here?" I enquired confused. Then I noticed her cat-like ears and tail. I frowned. "Wait, you're part cat?"

She twitched her ears and rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm a cat, You're just as brilliant as he is," she snapped.

"No need to get touchy," I replied and extended my hand. "I'm Maximum Ride, by the way. You can call me Max for short. No need to be scared

"Naniko," she replied staring at my hand. She kept her hands to her side. I awkwardly rescinded my handshake.

Fang looked irked. He grabbed my hand and tried to pull me away from the cat-girl. "Max, let's go," he urged.

Fang knew something about the cat-girl that I don't. "Hey why," I asked Fang, "She seemed alone. Plus, those nasty erasers may be after her as well."

He was about to protest when I ignored him and interrupted him off, "Are you another of the hybrid experiments done by Itex? You seem alone out here."

"I was made in a lab in Japan," she replied, her bright green eyes looked away.

"Oh…," I replied, "You seem a little far away from home."

"Can I go now," the cat-girl replied giving me a dark look. Without waiting for a response, she darted away from me.

"Wait," I call out, grabbing her hand. "What are you doing out here?"

The cat-girl shook off my hand and yanked her arm free. "That's none of your business," she snapped.

"You can come with us. Don't worry, I won't slice and dice you up. I'm like you… well kinda. You see I'm an avian-human hybrid 2% bird 98% human."

I unfurl my wings to show her that I meant her no harm.

"She's a monster!" Fang whispered barely audible.

"Fang!" I hissed, "Don't say that!"

The cat-girl laughed menacingly. "No he's right. I am a monster," she said. Her eyes were dead and cold but tainted with a look of grief.

"A monster, a demon, a murderer!" she laughed coldly, "Stay away from me!"

"Or I'll kill you!" she later added, choking on those words. A tear rolled down her cheek, and when I reached out to wipe it from her cheek, she jerked away. "Don't touch me!" she raged glaring at me.

Her eyes welled with tears and she began to cry.

"There there," I said with motherly tenderness. I gently drew the girl into my arms and wiped the tears away. This girl was living on her own for too long and feared everybody who she met. "You wouldn't kill me… I don't think you could."

"How the hell would you know?!" she screamed and twisted free. She spat to the ground and ran off. I tried to follow her but Fang pulled me back.

My stomach rumbled and I remembered the reason I flew this direction. I silently marked the location in my mind and flew off with Fang. Perhaps I will pay the mysterious girl a little visit again when she's done being moody.


	2. The Curious Neko

We got back home from the shopping trip full of groceries. As I plop down the groceries, I asked Fang, "Who was that girl… Naniko, the cat-human hybrid? You seem to know her."

"I think I met her while I was out playing when I was young," he replied. He frowned and closed his eyes. "I remember. She was soaked in blood when I first saw her. I think she was trying to kill herself."

"Then we got to help her!" I proclaimed. "We definitely should help her!"

"No, defiantly not!" he said slamming his hand against the counter. "She said she killed hundreds of people!"

"So did I. Well not hundreds, but my hands are not exactly clean. But you didn't abandon me," I said.

"Cause we grew up together. And I love you," he said kissing me.

I returned the tender embrace and kissed him fervently on the counter when Nudge burst in. "Eewe," she exclaimed. "Brain bleach."

"Out!" I hissed.

Nudge poked out her tongue and slammed her bedroom door. I helped Fang put away the groceries.

That evening, I snuck out of the house alone. Fang was dead set against re-meeting her and didn't want me to go anywhere near that cat-girl. However, I couldn't let her alone in the forest. She needed someone to protect her.

It was getting late and the sun was going down. I tightened my jacket around me to avoid the cold. I scanned the horizon until I found the spot where I last see the girl. I lowered my wings to the right and circled to land.

I heard leaves rustling to my left and quickly hid some bushes. A strong harsh, animal smell whiffed past my nose. The erasers. They must be after the cat girl as well.

"Come on," the erasers rasped. "She mustn't be far. Our instructions are to capture and bring back the cat-hybrid in one piece. Oh and if you see Max or the others, bring them in as well."

I sulked away from the bush. I had to find her before the erasers could.

I considered flying but that would make me easier to track. Plus, the trees were crowded together and I don't think I could navigate the forest safely without being bonked in the head and falling unconscious.

As I was walking, I notice small footprints in the mud heading north. I followed it until I came upon a small cave.

"Hello," I cried out timidly. There was no reply as usual. I grabbed a small branch just in case the bird-girl was as vicious as Fang said and entered the cave.

I found a few kimonos scattered on the floor. I tilted my ears and caught a few lines of singing coming deeper within the cave:

"And a warm bed  
On a quiet little street  
All she wants is just that something to hold on to  
That's all she needs  
Yeah

…

I'm falling into this  
In dreams, we run away"

It must be her. I heard a faint splash as she dove under water. "I know you're here," I called out. "It's me Max."

I lowered the stick. "I just want to talk to you," I said.

I peered into the bluish water and saw her under the water. I thought she had swallowed water and had drowned or something, so I reached and pulled her out.

"Max, what do you want?" she hissed.

"I wanted to find you, Fang told me about … back then," I said.

Naniko grew pale. "And you still want to be here?" she shook her head. "You must have gone mad after being around somewhere like me."

I chuckled. "You're not as bad as Nudge. She drives me crazy with her incessant singing and her bubbly personality."

"I know you're not this demon you pretend to be," I said folding my hand over my chest. "It's all in the eyes, which are oddly colored."

"Say why are you so hell-bent on being alone?" I frowned.

"You wouldn't understand," Naniko sighed and sank in the water, "But then again how could I expect anyone to. I've done some very ba—"

I interrupted Naniko, "Don't ever start that! You did bad things but that doesn't mean you have to punish yourself! It's no use to cry over spilt milk. Plus, my hands are not exactly clean as well. I too have done bad things that I have later regretted."

"Did I tell you that I have stolen a car," I chuckled.

"You done yet," she said sighing, "will you finally leave me in peace?"

"No," I said.

"Oh and the erasers are after you as well," I said

"The what now?" she squeaked.

"The erasers," I repeated. "Mean were-wolf like creature. They're goons of Itex. And they're after hybrid experiments like me. They must have heard wind of you and want to capture to reverse engineer you."

Naniko shuddered and let out a faint eep. I helped her out of the pool and tossed her some dried clothes.

Naniko sighed as dressed in a simple blue kimono with a black obi. "Hai. Mendosuke." she mumbled under her breath.

I frowned. I am trying to help that girl and she insulted me in some foreign language. "What?" I said, "What does that mean."

"It means you're troublesome," she grumbled. "If it wasn't for you, the erasers, as you call it, will never have found me."

"Don't be too sure," I said.

There was a loud ruckus at the entrance of the cave. "We know you are in there Maximum Ride," the erasers sneered.

We hid in a small tunnel branch and the erasers walked past us. I held my hand over her mouth to prevent her from making a sound. As soon as the erasers were gone, I grabbed her hand and said, "Run!"

She squeaked and scampered after me but her short feet barely kept up. Her clothes flailed around threatening to fall off her.

The erasers heard us running and turned back. "After them!" the leader yelled

She stumbled over a rock and fell. The erasers were gaining at us. I rushed back. "Hold on," I said and grabbed at her from behind. I snapped open my wings and flapped them downwards.

"H… high," Naniko said clutching onto me tightly. "Don't do that!" she cried out.

Apparently, she was terrified of heights. "I'm not going to drop you," I reassured her.

I flapped my wings and squeezed through the gaps in the trees.

There was some awkward silence so I said, "How old are you always. You look rather small.," to break the ice.

"I'm 18," Naniko said blushing, "And I'm not little, I'm just 5'2" so there."

"Hate to break it to you but that's little," I said.

After fifteen minutes of flying, I arrived at the home where we were staying at the moment. Fang looked at her awkwardly making Naniko uncomfortable.

"You must be hungry," I said. "Do you want something to eat?"

She stared at Fang.

If she wasn't hungry, I was. I hope the world doesn't explode with them in front of each other. I popped a microwavable dinner into the microwave and waited for 6 antagonizing minutes.

Angel came bobbing into the kitchen. "Max, who is that in the living room?"

"Oh that's Naniko," I replied taking the meal out of the microwave, "She's like us. She's a feline-human hybrid, I think judging by her cat-like tail and ears.

I ripped the plastic cover from the container and tossed it away. I picked up a fork and blew into the spaghetti blew onto it to cool it down. When I came back into the living room Naniko was gone. And so was Fang.

"What has he done now," I exasperated. I headed up stairs to find Fang. I felt a cold breeze coming from Angel's room and as I headed there to close the window, I saw Naniko standing on the edge of the roof planning to jump off.

I jumped out of the window and slowly reached out to her. "Come back in," I said. "Whatever Fang has said, I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean it. Plus, death is not always an answer."


	3. When Demons Cry: The End & the Beginning

I found Naniko sitting on the roof singing to herself and sobbing. She was wallowing in her pity.

"Am I going home  
Will I hear someone  
singing solace to the silent moon  
Zero gravity, what it's like  
Am I alone  
Is somebody there beyond these heavy aching feet  
Still the road keeps on telling me to go on  
Something is calling me  
I feel the gravity  
of it all."

The sky grew darker and thunder rumbled at a distant. A cool breeze blew against me bring with it the smell of freshly cut grass. I could hear rain. It came, first a drizzle and then a downpour. But Naniko did not care as the rain began to soak through her thin kimono.

I climbed out of the window. "Come on in," I offered extending my hand. "You'll catch cold."

Lightning raced through the sky and the deafening boom of the thunder shook the ground.

She turned to me. "Just pretend I was never here. Besides, I will just mess things up anyways," she said

"No will not," I said. "You're just confused. We… I will help you fight your pain."

Naniko just sighed and shook her head. She looked at the ground. "I didn't the real meaning of love, friendship, kindness or even happiness was. Those were foreign concepts to me but I saw it there in their family and thought I didn't belong in such a happy place," she said.

And then she jumped.

My heart leapt into my mouth but luckily, she wasn't injured. She landed with cat-like agility. She brushed off her kimono and walked away singing.

"Were all alone in the city  
My hands are stoned with pity  
II could get by or get high on 50 yeah  
And I, I, I don't feel pretty today

Her daddy reads her fables  
Of silken robes and tables  
So run run run  
But the child is unable  
To run run run  
Blood slithers down her ankles

We're all alone in the city  
My hands are stoned with pity  
I could get by or get high on 50 yeah  
Bu dont' feel pretty  
Today."

I jumped down after her, using my wings to break my fall. I followed her to a clearing. The erasers found her scent and circled her. But she didn't run away.

She held her hand out and turned herself. The erasers were initially confused but chained her

She saw me peering out from behind the tree. She turned towards me and whispered, "I'm sorry Max. You're too nice."

The erasers dragged away. I tried to follow but Fang held my hand back. "No," he said, "I can't lose you too. Anyways she had made her choice. Forget about it."

I didn't notice that my t-shirt was thoroughly drenched and I was shivering. Fang wrapped a jacket around me and wiped away my tear. "Come on Max, let's go home," he said.

"Good bye Naniko," I whispered sadly. "I hope you will be free once again."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The erasers dragged Naniko back to a secret lab below the Sierra Nevada mountain range. They dragged her to a small windowless room and then proceeded locked her hands over her head. She thought about the experiments that they would run on her but it didn't bothered her. She was used to it. It was the only life she had known.

"Good bye Max," she laughed, "The demon is back where she belonged." The room echoed and then fell silent.


End file.
